RFID tracker and locator

ABSTRACT

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking device, that includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) interface and an RFID interface. The RFID interface is capable of communicating with an RFID tag on an RFID item and reading the RFID. The device is capable of detecting the RFID item, obtaining a GPS location via the GPS interface, and associating the GPS location with the RFID and the RFID item and storing the associated GPS location with the RFID item.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to radio frequency identification(RFID) tagged items, and more specifically to an RFID tracker andlocator.

Everyone at one time or another has misplaced an item and must spendtime searching various locations in order to find the item. For example,people have misplaced their wallet, forgotten where they left their carkeys, cannot find that favorite book of theirs, as well as misplacedmore important items like passports, certificates, checkbooks, etc. Whenan item is misplaced, people tend to panic and embark on a franticsearch in an attempt to find the item. Once misplaced, a person hasnothing to help them in locating the item.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are related to a tracking devicethat includes a global positioning satellite (GPS) interface and an RFIDinterface, the RFID interface being capable of communicating with anRFID tag on an RFID item and reading the RFID, wherein the trackingdevice is capable of detecting the RFID item, obtaining a GPS locationvia the GPS interface, and associating the GPS location with the RFIDand the RFID item.

Embodiments of the present invention are further related to a method fortracking an item that includes detecting an item containing an RFID,obtaining GPS coordinates for a location in a vicinity of the item,associating the GPS coordinates with the item, and storing theassociated GPS coordinates with the RFID of the item.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed descriptionwhich follows in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way ofnon-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention in whichlike reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system including a RFID tracking and locatingdevice according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a training process for locating an RFID itemaccording to an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID item accordingto an example embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID item accordingto another example embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID item accordingto a still further example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present inventionmay be embodied as a method, system, computer program product, or acombination of the foregoing. Accordingly, the present invention maytake the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely softwareembodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) oran embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may generallybe referred to herein as a “system.” Furthermore, the present inventionmay take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usablestorage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in themedium.

Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may beutilized. The computer usable or computer readable medium may be, forexample but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical,electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device,or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) ofthe computer readable medium would include the following: an electricalconnection having one or more wires; a tangible medium such as aportable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), or othertangible optical or magnetic storage device; or transmission media suchas those supporting the Internet or an intranet. Note that the computerusable or computer readable medium could even be paper or anothersuitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can beelectronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of thepaper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwiseprocessed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in acomputer memory.

In the context of this document, a computer usable or computer readablemedium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate,propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with theinstruction execution system, platform, apparatus, or device. Thecomputer usable medium may include a propagated data signal with thecomputer-usable program code embodied therewith, either in baseband oras part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may betransmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited tothe Internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency (RF) orother means.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentinvention may be written in an object oriented, scripted or unscriptedprogramming language such as Java, Perl, Smalltalk, C++ or the like.However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of thepresent invention may also be written in conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages.

The present invention is described below with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) andcomputer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Itwill be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions. These computer program instructions may beprovided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purposecomputer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce amachine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor ofthe computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, createmeans for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchartand/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablememory produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperations to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. Alternatively,computer program implemented steps or acts may be combined with operatoror human implemented steps or acts in order to carry out an embodimentof the invention.

Embodiments according to the present invention relate to a trackingdevice that may include a global positioning satellite (GPS) interfaceand a radio frequency identification (RFID) interface that allowstracking and locating of one or more items containing an RFID or RFIDtag. An RFID tag may be active, passive, or semi-passive, and many donot require a battery or power source. A passive RFID tag may merelyallow reading of information contained in the RFID tag, whereas incontrast, an active RFID tag may have the capability to activelytransmit and/or provide interactive information. A GPS location (i.e.,set of coordinates) is associated with an RFID tag on each of the itemsallowing location and tracking of these items.

To illustrate embodiments of the present invention, Near FieldCommunications (NFC) will be used identify and communicate with RFIDtags on items. An RFID can be placed on any type of item. NFC is a shortrange wireless technology that allows devices to communicate over ashort distance. The NFC function may transmit an electromagnetic fieldthat is detected by an RFID tag and causes the RFID tag to respond. NFCis just one example of short range radio technology that may be used todetect and communicate with an RFID tag. However, embodiments of thepresent invention are not limited to the use of NFC technology or shortrange wireless technology for communicating with RFID tags as anywireless communication technology capable of communicating with an RFIDis within the scope of the present invention.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a user may attachRFID tags to items that are of importance or to any other items that theuser desires to track. A GPS location in the form of GPS coordinateswithin a vicinity of the item may be obtained. The GPS location isassociated with the RFID and both stored. Therefore, if a user hasmisplaced an item, which has been tagged with an RFID, and cannot locatethe item, the user merely retrieves the stored GPS location associatedwith the RFID of the item to help the user locate the item. To aid theuser further, a user may enter a description for the item where thedescription is also stored with the GPS location and the RFID of theitem. The RFID interface may continually ping for RFIDs on items or theuser of the tracking device may initiate a one-shot communication withthe RFIDs. The tracking device may automatically obtain GPS coordinatesfor found RFID items. Alternatively, in embodiments of the presentinvention, a user of the tracking device may initiate the obtaining ofthe GPS coordinates via the GPS interface.

For example, if a user has already tagged an item with an RFID(hereafter referred to as an RFID item) and desires to store and trackthis item, the user may merely place the tracking device in proximity tothe RFID item and may push a “record” key on the tracking device toinitiate a communication between a NFC communicator in the trackingdevice and the RFID of the item. Once there has been a successfulcommunication, the tracking device may request the current location(i.e., GPS coordinates) for the tracking device from the GPS applicationof the tracking device. The tracking device may obtain the GPS locationfrom one or more GPS satellites via the GPS interface of the trackingdevice. The tracking device may then record this location, a descriptionof the RFID item (if entered by the user), and the RFID in a memory ordatabase of the tracking device. Thus, in the future the user needs onlyto retrieve the information stored in the database to locate the RFIDitem if the location of the RFID item has been forgotten.

Moreover, according to embodiments of the present invention, a trackingdevice may continually monitor for items with RFID tags andautomatically update stored information based on a current location ofthe item. This may occur if a current GPS location of the item isdetermined to be different than a stored GPS location of the item. Forexample, a user may move the tracking device to a particular location.The tracking device may constantly poll for RFID tags on items andcommunicate with these RFID tags when detected. If the tracking devicedetects and communicates with an RFID tag of an item, the trackingdevice may determine if this RFID is stored and if so, obtain the storedGPS location. The tracking device may then obtain a GPS location (GPScoordinates) for the location of the tracking device and compare thislocation with the stored location for the item. If the locations aredifferent, the tracking device may update the GPS location for the itemautomatically with the currently obtained GPS location. If the user hasmisplaced this item, the user again may merely retrieve the storedinformation for the item from the database of the tracking device wherethe tracking device may have stored a “last seen” location based on aprevious detection of the RFID when the tracking device had been movedto a vicinity of the RFID item and updated automatically the location ofthe item.

In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, the usermay enter a distance value that represents a radius from a currentlystored GPS location for an item. Therefore, when attempting to locate anitem, the user may be given a location that includes the GPS locationplus the defined radial distance. This allows an item to be associatedwith a location in a larger area (e.g., a room, a building, etc.) thatmay include more than one set of GPS coordinates. Also, the trackingdevice may determine all other GPS coordinates within the defined radiusof the GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates and the other GPScoordinates may be associated with the RFID and item and stored.

Further, according to embodiments of the present invention, tracking andlocating of an RFID item may be helped by the user initially locationtraining the tracking device. For example, GPS location coordinates maybe mapped to a location description such as “kitchen,” “master bedroom,”“Makam's house,” “Srinivas' office,” etc. This provides a locationdescription of a location of an RFID item making it very easy to findthe RFID item if misplaced. This location description may also beentered by the user after obtaining the GPS coordinates for the RFIDitem, and the location description, the GPS coordinates, an itemdescription, and the RFID all stored in a database of the trackingdevice.

Moreover, according to embodiments of the present invention, thetracking device may send the GPS coordinates to a mapping applicationwhere the mapping device provides a map illustrating a locationassociated with the GPS coordinates. The tracking device may displaythis map on a display of the tracking device via a graphical userinterface (GUI) such that a user may visually view a location of an itemas illustrated on the map provided by the mapping application. Thismapping application may be any type of mapping application that has thecapability of mapping GPS coordinates on a map, for example, Wikimapia.The mapping application may be accessed remotely such as across anetwork (e.g., the Internet) or may reside on the tracking deviceitself.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a system including a RFID tracking andlocating device according to an example embodiment of the presentinvention. The system 100 may include a tracking device 101, one or moreGPS satellites 102-104, and one or more items with different RFID tags105-108. The tracking device 101 may include a GPS interface 110 forcommunicating with the one or more GPS satellites 102-104 and obtainingGPS coordinates, a display 111 that may include a graphical userinterface (GUI) to provide information to and allow input from a user ofthe tracking device 101, control logic 112 for controlling variousfunctions of the tracking device 101, a memory 113 allowing storage ofinformation (such as a database containing item RFIDs and associated GPSlocations), and an RFID interface 114 for communicating with the one ormore RFID tags on the RFID items 105-108. The RFID interface 114 maycommunicate with the one or more RFID tags on the RFID items 105-108 viashort range communication using a Near Field Communicator interface 115.According to embodiments of the present invention, the tracking device101 may store in a database in the memory 113 RFID tag informationassociated with items 105-108, as well as a description of the item105-108, and an associated GPS location that includes GPS coordinatesfor a vicinity that the item 105-108 is located. The tracking device 101may also store a description of a location associated with the GPSlocation.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a training process for locating an RFID itemaccording to an example embodiment of the present invention. In theprocess 200 in block 201, a user may travel to a location with atracking device. In block 202, the user may use the tracking device toobtain GPS coordinates for the location. In block 203, a description forthe location may be entered. In block 204, the GPS coordinates may beassociated with the description for the location and this informationstored. The process may then return to block 201 where a user may travelto another location with the tracking device. Further, from block 203,in block 205, the tracking device may determine all other GPScoordinates within a defined radius of the GPS coordinates. In block206, the GPS coordinates and the other GPS coordinates may be associatedwith the description and stored. The process may then return to block201 where a user may travel to another location with the trackingdevice. Using the defined radius may be useful when a user wants toenter a description of a larger area such as a house, garage, etc. andassociate this description with the RFID and the item.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID itemaccording to an example embodiment of the present invention. In theprocess 300, in block 301, a unique RFID tag may be attached to one ormore items (RFID item). In block 302, a tracking device may bepositioned in a location allowing detection of an RFID tag of an item.In block 303, the tracking device may communicate with the RFID tag andread the RFID of the item. In block 304, GPS coordinates may be obtainedfor a location of the tracking device. In block 305, a description ofthe item may be entered (if not already entered). In block 306, the GPScoordinates may be associated with the item description and the RFID andthis information stored.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID itemaccording to another example embodiment of the present invention. In theprocess 400 in block 401, a unique RFID tag may be attached to one ormore items. In block 402, a tracking device may be moved to a location.In block 403, the tracking device may continually ping for RFID tags anddetect an RFID tag on an RFID item and read the RFID of the item. Inblock 404, the tracking device may determine if the RFID has beenpreviously stored, and if not, the process may return to block 402. Ifthe RFID has been previously stored, in block 405, GPS coordinates maybe obtained for a location of the tracking device. In block 406, thepreviously stored GPS coordinates for the RFID may be read. In block407, the previously stored GPS coordinates may be compared with thecurrently obtained GPS coordinates, and if they are the same, theprocess may return to block 402. If the GPS coordinates are different,then in block 408, the new GPS coordinates may be associated with theRFID and this information is stored. Therefore, according to embodimentsof the present invention, if a tracking device is placed within thevicinity of an item with an RFID tag that was previously stored, thetracking device may automatically update a location of the item if theGPS location has changed from that previously stored.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a process for tracking an RFID itemaccording to a still further example embodiment of the presentinvention. In the process 500, in block 501, the location of a desiredRFID tagged item (RFID item) may not be known. In block 502, a desiredRFID item may be looked up from stored RFID items. In block 503, astored location of the desired RFID item may be obtained from the storedRFID items. In block 504, a user may go to the stored location obtainedto find the desired RFID item. Alternatively, in block 505, GPS locationcoordinates obtained (i.e., stored location) may be sent to a mappingapplication. In block 506, an item location may be identified on a mapbased on the GPS coordinates. In block 507, a user may view a locationof the item on the map using a GUI of a display and go to the locationto find the desired RFID item.

The flowcharts and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinationsof special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that anyarrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and that the inventionhas other applications in other environments. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentinvention. The following claims are in no way intended to limit thescope of the invention to the specific embodiments described herein.

1. A tracking device comprising: a global positioning satellite (GPS)interface; and an RFID interface, the RFID interface being capable ofcommunicating with an RFID tag on an RFID item and reading the RFID; agraphical user interface (GUI) configured for: obtaining a series of GPScoordinates to custom-define an area; and receiving a description forthe area; a control interface configured for: associating the series ofGPS coordinates with the description for the area; periodicallydetecting the RFID item, obtaining a GPS location of the RFID item viathe GPS interface in response to the RFID item being detected, andassociating the GPS location with the RFID item and the area of the RFIDitem to indicate to a user the location of the RFID item relative to thearea.
 2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory,the device storing the associated GPS location and the RFID in thememory.
 3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising adisplay, the display presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to auser of the device, the GUI allowing the user to read the stored GPSlocation for the RFID item to locate the RFID item.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the GUI provides the user the ability tosend the stored GPS location to a map application, the map applicationassociating the GPS location with a position on a map, the user locatingthe RFID item from viewing the position on the map.
 5. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile phone. 6.The device according to claim 1, further comprising a display, thedisplay presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user of thedevice, the GUI allowing the user to perform at least one of initiateobtaining GPS coordinates for a location of the device, enter adescription for the RFID item, enter a description for the location ofthe device, associate the GPS coordinates with the description for theRFID item, associate the GPS coordinates with the description for thelocation of the device, store the associated GPS coordinates with theRFID item description, or store the associated GPS coordinates with thedescription for the location of the device.
 7. The device according toclaim 6, further comprising the GUI allowing the user to define a radiusdistance, initiate determining all other GPS coordinates within thedefined radius distance from the GPS coordinates, and associate andstore the GPS coordinates and the other GPS coordinates with thedescription for the location.
 8. The device according to claim 1, theRFID interface further comprising a Near Field Communications (NFC)communicator, the NFC communicator communicating with the RFID tag onthe RFID item and reading the RFID.
 9. The device according to claim 1,wherein the device: continuously monitors for RFID items with RFID tagswithin a vicinity of the device; communicates with each detected RFIDtag on each RFID item to read each RFID; determines if each detectedRFID is stored in the device; obtains a current GPS location for thedevice if any of the RFID items have a stored RFID; compares the currentGPS location with GPS locations stored for each RFID; and stores thecurrent GPS location for each stored RFID if the current GPS location isdifferent than the stored GPS location.
 10. A method for tracking anitem comprising: obtaining a series of GPS locations to custom-define anarea; receiving a description for the area; associating the series ofGPS locations with the description for the area; periodically detectingan item containing an RFID; obtaining GPS coordinates for a location ina vicinity of the item response to the item being detected; associatingthe GPS coordinates with the item and the area of the item to indicateto a user the location of the RFID item relative to the area; andstoring the associated GPS coordinates with the RFID of the item. 11.The method according to claim 10, further comprising creating adescription for the item and storing the associated GPS coordinates withthe RFID and the description of the item.
 12. The method according toclaim 10, further comprising reading the stored GPS coordinates for theitem to locate the item.
 13. The method according to claim 10, furthercomprising obtaining at least one set of GPS coordinates for a location,generating a description for the location, and associating and storingthe at least one set of GPS coordinates with the description for thelocation.
 14. The method according to claim 13, further comprisingreading the stored description for the location to locate the item. 15.The method according to claim 10, further comprising determining allother GPS coordinates within a defined radius of the GPS coordinates andassociating and storing the GPS coordinates and the other GPScoordinates with the description for the location.
 16. The methodaccording to claim 15, further comprising reading the stored descriptionfor the location to locate the item.
 17. The method according to claim10, further comprising sending the GPS coordinates to a map application,the map application associating the GPS coordinates with a position on amap, and locating the item from viewing the position on the map.
 18. Anapparatus comprising a storage medium with instructions stored therein,the instructions when executed causing a processing device to perform amethod, the method comprising: obtaining a series of GPS locations tocustom-define an area; receiving a description for the area; associatingthe series of GPS locations with the description for the area;periodically detecting an item containing an RFID; obtaining GPScoordinates for a location in a vicinity of the item response to theitem being detected; associating the GPS coordinates with the item andthe area of the item to indicate to a user the location of the RFID itemrelative to the area; and storing the associated GPS coordinates withthe RFID of the item.
 19. The apparatus method according to claim 18,wherein the method further comprises obtaining at least one set of GPScoordinates for a location, generating a description for the location,and associating and storing the at least one set of GPS coordinates withthe description for the location.
 20. The apparatus method according toclaim 18, wherein the method further comprises determining all other GPScoordinates within a defined radius of the GPS coordinates andassociating and storing the GPS coordinates and the other GPScoordinates with the description for the location.